Population:  231,219

Elevation: 60 feet

Location: Baton Rouge is 75 miles Northwest of New Orleans via Interstate 10.

Time Zone: Baton Rouge is in the central time zone. When it is noon in New York City; it is 11:00 AM in Baton Rouge

Weather:

Baton Rouge has a subtropical climate free of extreme temperatures. Winters are mild with only occasional cold periods.

Average Temperatures

 Month  

   High

 Low

January  

   63F  

  42F

February

   65F

  45F

March  

   81F  

  64F

April  

   78F

  58F  

May  

   81F

  64F  

June  

   90F

  70F 

July  

   91F

  72F  

August  

   91F  

  72F

September  

   88F

  67F

October  

   81F

  56F

November  

   70F

  46F

December  

   64F

  48F

When to Visit

The weather is consistently warm from May to September

Winter is usually mild and short-lived (January and February) perfect for outdoor activities. Spring is glorious and a light jacket is all that is needed for touring the grounds of any plantation. The blooming season is quite long, lasting more than seven months of the year, but spring is the most dramatic. Fall is mild and only a light sweater is needed in the evenings.

Precipitation is reasonably well-distributed and ample throughout the year with an average annual precipitation of 55 inches

Business Hours

Banks are usually open weekdays 9 to 3 and some Saturday mornings; the post office from 8 to 5 weekdays and often on Saturday mornings. Shops in urban and suburban areas, particularly in indoor and strip malls, typically open at 9 or 10 daily and stay open until anywhere from 6 to 10 PM on weekdays and Saturdays, and until 5 or 6 on Sundays.

Holidays

New Year's Day Jan. 1

Inauguration Day 3rd Mon. in Jan. every 4 years

Mardi Gras Day, Shrove Tuesday (varies)

Good Friday (varies)

Memorial Day last Mon. in May;

Independence Day July 4

Labor Day 1st Mon. in Sept.

Veterans Day Nov. 11

Thanksgiving Day 4th Thurs. in Nov.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dec. 24 and 25

New Year's Eve Dec. 31.

Customs & Duties

Arriving in the United States

Contact the U.S. Customs Service (inquiries, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229, 202/354-1000

Electricity

The U.S. electrical standard is 110 volts/60 cycles AC. Visitors from other countries, traveling with dual-voltage appliances will not need a converter, but they will need a plug adapter. The standard U.S. electrical outlet takes a plug of two flat pins set parallel to one another.

Emergencies

Ambulance, Fire , Police (Phone: 911).

Telephones 

The country code for the United States is 1. The area code for Baton Rouge is 225.

Age Limits: You must be 21 years of age to enter a casino in Louisiana.  You must be 21 years of age to consume alcoholic beverages in Louisiana.

Getting There

By Plane

The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Ryan Field) is served by  major airlines. Baton Rouge is accessible by jet service via Delta, American, Northwest, Continental and US Air. Additional service is available through New Orleans International Airport, about 1 hour East of Baton Rouge.

Train and Bus:   Connecting buses from New Orleans’ Amtrak station and regular Greyhound buses come in to Baton Rouge at 1253 Florida St, fifteen minutes from downtown.

Getting Around:  Local buses, run by Capital City Transportation (225/336-0821), are infrequent.

Travel by Car:  There is little public transportation in the  Baton Rouge area.  A car is essential. Baton Rouge is served by interstate highways 10, 12, 55, 59 and 49.  

Useful Regional Terms

Creole: the meaning of the term has evolved over the years in Louisiana. The word came from the Spanish word criollo which meant “person native to a locality.” It was first used in the 18th century to describe children born of European parents in the New World. In Louisiana, this meant children of the French. As people of other ethnic backgrounds moved into the Mississippi delta and valley, the term began to include them. A 19th century Creole could have been French, German, black, or of mixed ancestry. Today, most who identify themselves as Creole are black.

Cajun: Cajuns were descendants of 17th century French settlers from Nova Scotia (also known as L’Acadie). Many had been deported when Britain took over the region from France. The Acadians later shortened their name to “Cajuns” after migrating to southern Louisiana.

Creole and Cajun Cuisine Authentic Creole cooking is urban; Cajun food is country cooking. However, the terms are often used interchangeably, with consistently delicious results.

Etouffee (ay too fay) Method of cooking something (usually shrimp or crawfish) smothered in chopped vegetables over a low flame, tightly covered, until tender.

Gumbo A mainstay of both Cajun and Creole cooking. Creoles use okra as a thickener for this tasty stew; Cajuns use ground sassafras leaves. No two gumbos are alike. Cajun dishes are usually spicier and bolder than Creole.